Sophie’s Mandala – Part 1 {Small}

You have no idea how excited (and how nervous) I am about releasing this pattern. Sophie’s Mandala is a Dribs and Drabs design, which is sort of like a crochet-along but more chaotic.

Because the final mandala has 25 rounds, I have decided to break this photo tutorial up into 3 parts (or 3 sizes, if you prefer). I will be releasing the pattern over the next couple of days, starting with small mandala below.

Long story short, I decided to call it Sophie’s Mandala instead (named after Kimberly Slifer’s granddaughter). Those of you who follow the Block a Week CAL will already be familiar with Kimberly. For those of you who aren’t, Kimberly is one of the admins for the Official CCC Social Group on Facebook. She is hosting a year-long crochet-along, for which I am doing the photo tutorials (with permission from the designers). She is also one of the lovely ladies that volunteered to test the medium and large versions of the mandala for me.

The first 6 rounds of this Mandala were heavily inspired by Chris Simon’s Lace Petals Square (Block 16 of the Block a Week CAL 2014). In fact, if you take away the front post stitches and back loop stitches, it is an unashamed copy of Chris’ gorgeous design (above).

So before I could even think about publishing this pattern, I had to get Chris’ permission to use her center. Luckily she agreed. Thank you very much, Chris!

* – Repeat instructions between asterisks the amount of times specified. This is a hardcore repeat and will consist of multiple instructions.

() – Repeat instructions between parentheses the amount of times specified. This is a lower level repeat.

Special Stitches

Picot: Ch 3, sl st in the third chain from the hook

Standing Stitches – Standing sc’s, hdc’s, and dc’s are stitches used to start the round without the need for the traditional beginning chain. Links to tutorials are supplied in each relevant round.

V-stitch: (Dc, ch 2, dc) in the same stitch

Invisible Join

If you would like to use the invisible join instead of the sl st join at the end of each round, you can find a step-by-step photo tutorial here. If you DO decide to use it, make very sure that you understand which stitch to join to and which stitch to start your new round in, otherwise your mandala is going to come out all wonky!

Instructions

Round 1

Into a magic ring: ch 4 (this counts as your first dc and ch 1) and then make a dc (Photo 1). (Ch 2, dc, ch 1, dc ) five times (Photos 2 – 4). Ch 2 and join to the third st of the beginning ch-4 with a sl st. You should now have 6 ch-1 spaces, 6 ch-2 spaces and 12 dc’s.

If you are not familiar with working into a magic ring, this video tutorial by Tamara from Moogly is very good. Please remember, when working into a magic ring you HAVE to work away your initial tail very well. If you just cut it, your whole project might unravel!

Stitch count: 12 dc’s, 6 ch-2 spaces and 6 ch-1 spaces

Round 2

If you are going to use the same colour for Round 2, sl st into the next ch-1 space, ch 1 and sc in the same space.

If you are going to use a new colour for Round 2, join your new yarn by making a standing single crochet in any ch-1 space around (Photo 1).

(Make 5 dc’s in the next ch-2 space (Photo 2), sc in the next ch-1 space – see Photo 3) five times. Make 5 dc’s in the last ch-2 space (Photo 4). Join to the first sc with a sl st.

Stitch count:30 dc’s and 6 sc’s {6 Petals}

Round 3

If you are using the same colour, ch 1 and make a fpsc around the post of the same sc.

If you are using a new colour, join your new colour with a fpsc around the post of any sc from the previous round. You will make the fpsc exactly the same as the standing single crochet, but working around the post of the stitch instead of into the top 2 loops (Photos 1 and 2).

*(Dc, ch 1) in the next 4 dc’s. Dc in the last dc (Photo 3). Fpsc in the next sc (Photo 4).* Repeat from * to * 5 times. Omit the last fpsc on the last repeat. Join to the top of the first sc with a sl st.

If you started with a standing fpsc, you might find it tricky to join to it with a sl st. Pull the beginning tail of yarn so that you can see the top loops of the stitch. If you cannot manage to poke your hook through both loops, you are more than welcome to join to the FLO of the standing fpsc.

You should have 6 petals, each containing 5 dc’s and 4 ch-1 spaces, and a fpsc between petals.

Stitch count: 30 dc’s, 6 fpsc’s, and 24 ch-1 spaces {6 Petals}

Round 4

Round 4 is simple, but you have to concentrate! I had to frog this round a few times because I either forgot the ch-1′s or I made the stitches in the wrong spots. At the end of this round your flower will probably buckle. Don’t worry about it!

If you are using the same colour, ch 1 and fpsc around the post of the same fpsc as the sl st join.

If you are using a new colour, start with a fpsc around the post of any fpsc around (Photo 1).

*Hdc in the first dc and then ch 1. This first dc might be slightly tricky to get into because it is right next to the fpsc. (Dc in the next dc, ch 1, dc in the next ch-1 space, ch 1) twice. Dc in the next dc and then ch 1. Hdc in the last dc (Photo 2)and fpsc in the next fpsc.* Repeat from * to * 5 times. Omit the last fpsc on the last repeat. Join to the first fpsc with a sl st. Fasten off and change colours.

Round 5

You will not be working into the hdc’s in this round. You will skip the first and last hdc of every petal.

Join your new yarn by making a standing single crochet around the back of the post of the last dc of any petal around (Photo 1). Phew…I say “of” a lot in that sentence! Hehe. You are basically starting with a standing back post sc, if such a thing exists.

*Ch 2 and fpdc around the post of the fpsc between the petals. (Ch 2, bpsc around the post of the next dc) 5 times.* Repeat from * to * 5 times. Omit the last bpsc of the last repeat. Join to the first bpsc with a sl st.

Stitch counts:

Total: 30 bpsc’s, 6 fpdc’s, and 36 ch-2 spaces

Per Petal: 5 bpsc’s and 6 ch-2 spaces per petal, and 1 fpdc between petals

Round 6

If you are going to use the same colour, sl st into the next ch-2 space. Ch 5 (this counts as the first dc plus ch-2) and dc in the next ch-2 space. These 2 dc’s should fall on either side of the fpdc from the previous round (Photo 1).

If you are going to use a different colour, start with a standing double crochet in the next ch-2 space. Ch 2 and dc in the next ch-2 space. These 2 dc’s should fall on either side of the fpdc from the previous round (Photo 1).

*Ch 2 and hdc in the next ch-2 space. (Ch 2, sc in the next ch-2 space) twice. Ch 2, hdc in the next ch-2 space. (Ch 2, dc in the next ch-2 space) twice – see Photo 2.* Repeat from * to * 4 times.

Ch 2 and hdc in the next ch-2 space. (Ch 2, sc in the next ch-2 space) twice. Ch 2 and hdc in the next ch-2 space. Ch 2 and join to the third ch of the beginning ch-5 (or the standing double crochet) with a sl st.

Notice that the dc’s fall on either side of the fpdc’s from the previous round (Photo 2).

Round 7

If you are going to use the same colour: sl st into the next ch-2 space. Ch 1 and make 2 sc’s in the same ch-2 space.

If you are going to use a different colour, start with a standing single crochet in the next ch-2 space and then make another sc in the same ch-2 space.

Make 2 sc’s in the next ch-2 space. Make 3 sc’s in the next ch-2 space. *Make 2 sc’s in each of the next 2 ch-2 spaces, make 3 sc’s in the next ch-2 space.* Repeat from * to * 10 times. Join to the BLO of the first sc with a sl st.

Stitch count: 84 sc’s

Count your stitches!

Round 8

You will be working in the back loops only (BLO) for this round.

If you are going to use the same colour, ch 2 (this counts as your first hdc).

If you are going to use a different colour, start with a standing hdc in the BLO of the same st as the sl st join. (Photo 1)

Hdc in the BLO of the next 5 st’s and make 2 hdc’s in the BLO of the next st (Photo 2). *Hdc in the BLO of the next 6 st’s, make 2 hdc’s in the BLO of the next st.* Repeat from * to * 10 times. Join to the top of the beginning ch-2 (or the standing hdc) with a sl st.

Stitch count:96 hdc’s (worked into the BLO)

This is what your mandala should look like at this point. You can now continue on with Round 9 below and make yourself a dainty little mandala…

Or if you prefer something slightly larger, continue on with Part 2 now for a medium mandala. Do not make Round 9 below if you are going to continue making a larger version!

Round 9 {Small Version Only}

In this round you will be making decorative scallops. DO NOT make this round if you are intending to continue on and make one of the larger mandalas, the garden, or the universe.

Join your yarn by making a sl st in any st around (Photo 1).

(Skip the next 2 st’s and make 6 dc’s in the next st. Skip the next 2 st’s and sl st in the next st) around –see Photo 2. The last sl st should fall in the same st as the first sl st (Photos 3 and 4). Bind off and work away your tails of yarn.

Hi Wendy. Like I mentioned in the post, the central flower is actually out of a square: Lace Petals Square by Chris Simon. You can find the link to the pattern in this post. You can easily substitute the central flower in the Lace Petals square with the first 6 rounds of my textured variation of it. The stitch counts are the same at the end of Round 6.

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